You might not win the marathon, but you can win the award for the runner everyone wants to train with. Here are the unwritten rules to make it happen.
- Keep right: Just like on the highway, it’s the basic rule of survival. The passing lane is on the other side.
- A nod costs nothing: A nod of the head or a wave of the hand strengthens the sense of community. We’re all in the same tribe.
- We’re not a human wall: Running in a group is great, but taking up the entire sidewalk five abreast? Not so much.
- The “artistic” spit: Before clearing your airways, make sure no one is in your slipstream. The wind is not always your friend.
- Gel wrappers are not confetti: The pockets in your shorts have a purpose. Use them.
- The gentle pass: Give a heads-up to the person in front of you with a simple “on your left” or a cough. You’ll avoid giving someone a heart attack.
We All Run for the Same Passion: Let’s Try Not to Hate Each Other
Running is freedom, anarchy, our moment of escape from the world and its obligations. There are no referees, no yellow cards, and, outside of a few races, no one tells us what to do. And yet, precisely because so many of us share this passion on roads, parks, and trails, an unwritten code exists. A sort of unofficial runner’s Constitution, based on a single, powerful idea: mutual respect.
It’s an organized anarchy, a calm chaos where our individual freedom ends where another’s personal space (and patience) begins. Because while it’s true we run to feel good about ourselves, part of that well-being comes from not turning our workout into an obstacle course of other human beings. Think about it: we’re a tribe that shares effort and satisfaction. We might as well do it while getting along.
The Decalogue of the Polite Runner: 10 Rules for a Better World (at Least in the Park)
So here is a small handbook of etiquette, a semi-serious decalogue to make our coexistence easier and our run—and that of others—a better experience.
1. Keep Right, Always
It seems as obvious as telling a child not to stick their fingers in an electrical socket, yet it’s the foundation of everything. Just like on the highway, you keep to the right to let the surface-to-air missiles doing their repeats pass you on the left. It’s a simple rule that prevents collisions, curses, and dirty looks.
2. The Nod: A Small Gesture That Makes a Difference
You don’t have to stop and ask how their aunt is doing; a simple nod, a grimacing smile born of effort, or a wave of the hand is enough. Acknowledging another runner is a way of saying, “I see you, we’re in the same boat, hang in there.” It’s a small ritual that makes us feel part of something, a community of slightly crazy people who choose to sweat for fun.
3. The Group: We’re Not a Platoon
Running with company is one of the best things. It’s a shame that sometimes we forget we’re not alone in the world. If there are five of you, avoid running abreast and taking up the entire sidewalk or bike path. You become an impassable human wall, forcing anyone you encounter to slalom through lampposts or jump into the street. Run in single file, or in pairs at most.
4. The Artistic Spit: Look Before You Act
It happens. The fatigue, the mucus, the primal need to clear your airways. It’s understandable. What’s less understandable is doing it without a care for who’s running behind you. Before you unleash your finest projectile, a quick look over your shoulder can save the honor (and the shirt) of the person following you. Remember, the wind isn’t always your friend. And learn the concept of upwind and downwind—especially if you don’t want it all coming back at you. Pro tip: never spit into the wind.
5. Trash: Pockets Exist for a Reason
The empty gel packet, the bar wrapper, the water bottle. They seem like small, harmless objects, but they turn our favorite routes into open-air landfills. The pockets in your shorts or trail vest are not a fashion accessory: use them to carry your trash home. Karma (and the environment) will thank you.
6. The Silent Pass
You’re in your own world, focused on your breath, and suddenly you feel a shadow brush past you, overtaking you at twice your speed without a sound. The effect is straight out of a horror movie. When you pass someone, especially if they’re wearing headphones, a gentle “excuse me” or “on your left” is a courtesy that prevents heart attacks and frantic gestures.
7. Full-Blast Volume? No, Thanks
Music is a training partner for many, but remember that your ears are also there to hear what’s happening around you: an approaching bike, a car, another runner trying to pass. Use bone-conduction headphones or keep the volume at a level that allows you to remain aware of your surroundings. If you’re not aiming for the world’s most esoteric listening experience—and if you’re running, you can’t have it—just use one earbud. Especially if you’re listening to a podcast, it’s more than enough, and you won’t be cut off from the world around you. And please, don’t sing at the top of your lungs.
8. The Kind Driver Exists: Thank Them
Sometimes, a miracle happens: a car stops to let you cross at a crosswalk, even when they don’t have to. Instead of plowing ahead like you just conquered the world, raise a hand as a thank you. It’s a small gesture that makes both your days better and helps dismantle the idea that runners and drivers are destined to hate each other.
9. The Road Belongs to Everyone
It’s not just us out there. There are people walking, kids on bikes, seniors, dogs on leashes. Slow down when you approach a stroller, give a wide berth to a dog, and don’t expect the world to stop for you. We are the fast-moving guests in their slower world.
10. The Finish Line Is Not a Wall
You’ve finished your race; you’re exhausted, euphoric. The temptation is to stop two inches past the finish line, bend over at the knees, and thank every saint in heaven. Don’t do it. Keep walking for a few more feet, move to the side, and make space for those coming in behind you. You’ll avoid creating a pile-up and being trampled by people just as tired as you are.
Being a Better Runner Also Means Being a Better Person
In the end, all these rules can be summed up in one: use common sense. Think of others as you would want them to think of you. Running is an individual sport that we practice in a collective space. Respecting that space and those who share it with us won’t make us run faster, but it will make every one of our outings a little more civilized and, why not, a little happier.